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BUILDING INSPECTION / DECOR
02/15/2012
10/01/2011
Tankless Hot Water ? ? ?
Why Consider a Tankless Hot Water System?
Water heating accounts for 20-25% of an average household's annual energy expenditures. The yearly operating costs for conventional gas or electric storage tank water heaters average $200 to $800, respectively. Most tankless models have a life expectancy as long as 15 to 20 years. In contrast, storage tank water heaters last 5 to 15 years. Most tankless models have easily replaceable parts that can extend their life by many years more. These systems have been common in Japan and Europe for years, but are gaining attention now in North America. Tankless systems are more expensive to install than traditional tank systems, but substantial B.C. and Federal grants are available and vary from year to year.
About Tankless Water Heaters
The main advantage of these instantaneous water heaters vs. storage is tank-less design, continuous flow and endless supply, less energy consumption (up to 30-40% when comparing it to tank-type heaters), therefore more savings for you and no worry about running out of hot water during showers.
Comparing tankless water heaters with storage heaters that are heating water even when you are away or not using it, tankless hot water heaters work only when you open the hot tap.
On demand water heaters can use gas or electricity. The size of the instant water heaters you need depends on demand, how big your house is and the family size. Some manufacturers offer a multi-system set-up that can link many heaters into one system, to satisfy demand even for the largest houses.
Majority of these units are whole house tankless hot water heaters, as they have higher GPM flow rate capacity, so they handle demand for more than one application at a time.
How Tankless Water Heaters Work
There are some tankless heaters where heating element is controlled by the flow-sensing device that operates with a constant heat input and maximum flow rate. Flow rate depends on the pressure which can be adjusted on the knob.
If there is a request for maximum flow, the outgoing water toward the hot water tap is cooler since it spends less time passing through the heat exchanger.
Modern tankless models are using the latest technology where the output temperature, flow, safety and other parameters are controlled and regulated by the electronic circuit board.
When you open the hot water tap a flow sensor in the tankless hot water heater sends the signal to the electronic module. From there signal goes to the gas valve to open the gas flow.
If all the requirements are met, natural gas or propane flows into the burner located inside the combustion chamber. The gas is ignited either by the pilot flame or spark from the electrode.
Burning gas heats the heat exchanger where incoming cold water is quickly heated to the pre set and desired temperature. The heat exchanger transfers the heat from the burner to the water heating instantaneously. A vent pipe vents products of combustion out using the direct vent or powered vent system.
Once the faucet is turned off, the flow stops and flame goes out. As it can be seen from the above explanation tankless water heaters heat the water on demand, while providing you with an endless supply of hot water. You can see them often installed on the wall.
Tankless Water Heaters Reviews by fuel source:
Electric tankless hot water heaters have a compact design, saving you lots of space. They have a long service life as they are less prone to hard water and sediments. You can choose point-of-use or whole-house water heaters. Electric tankless water heaters don't produce greenhouse gases. Top selling brands in North America are Bosch PowerStar, Titan, Stiebel and Eemax.
Gas tankless hot water heaters are environmental friendly appliances also. Many of them utilize advanced technology for energy efficiency, and meet strict emission standards. They can use natural gas or propane - LP. Gas tankless water heaters produce higher flow rates than electric ones.
Tankless hot water heaters can be further divided into two categories; one that can only work as on/off and the other with modulation.
Instantaneous water heaters with modulation, base the heat output on the flow. For example if the demand for hot water is higher, modulating gas valve provides more gas and the final result is more power.
The following video (American—but very succinct) give a clear notion of how the system works.
06/27/2011
Make Your Next House A Garbage House
Make Your Next House A Garbage House
The trash you throw away today may just turn into your future home, if the concept behind the Bitublock takes off. Designed by engineer John Forth, of the University of Leeds in England, the blocks are produced with a mixture of waste materials, including crushed glass, pulverized fuel ash, incinerated sewage, steel slag, and other waste products that would normally wind up in landfills or, worse, wherever they happen to be discarded. Further, less energy is required to make the Bitublocks than is needed for concrete. These products are bound together by bitumen, (a byproduct of crude oil distillation used widely in road construction), before compacting it in a mould to form a solid block. Next the block is heat-cured, which oxidizes the bitumen so it hardens like concrete. This makes it possible to use a higher proportion of waste in the Bitublock than by using a cement or clay binder.
In the UK alone, Bitublock could put to good use the yearly estimated 490,000 tons of crushed glass and 550,000 tons of incinerator ash. The aim is to completely replace concrete as a structural material, Dr Forth says. Plus the amount of energy required and new material needed to create it. Not only eco-friendly, according to the research he has conducted, (in conjunction with civil engineering colleague Dong Van Dao), the block is as much as six times stronger than concrete when hardened. “Bitublocks use up to 100% waste materials and avoids sending them to landfill, which is quite unheard of in the building industry,’’ Dr Forth says.
This innovative project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, is being carried out in partnership with Dr Salah Zoorob from the University of Nottingham. Their work could be on the market within three to five years, and there is enormous commercial interest.
This invention would revolutionize the building industry, providing a sustainable, low-energy option for construction. “Bitublocks provide an ideal opportunity for the utilization of many waste materials,’’ Dr Forth says in his research. “The combination of different wastes has an effect on the overall performance and properties of the block. The different properties highlight the flexibility of the new unit to match different practical requirements.’’
They come out black as in the picture but can be painted any colour. "Holy Crap" has a whole new meaning!
05/13/2011
Aluminum Wiring: Good, Bad or Indifferent
When clients come across aluminum wiring in a home they often express concern and wonder if it is a major issue. Myles Braid has some thoughts about this issue.
Bill: How much of a detriment is aluminum wiring in a home?
Myles: Here's some info on aluminum wiring for you. The real concern with this type of wiring is that it is not handyman friendly. Homeowners quite often change the receptacles, switches or light fixtures and do not realize that aluminum branch wiring requires a special crimped on connector that should be done by an electrician.
I'm assuming the building is circa mid 1970's so I usually inform people that there are hundreds of condos and townhouse and thousands of homes with it. (half of Gordon Head )
In the late 1960's and early 1970's copper prices rose and contractors/electricians switched from copper to lower costing aluminum wiring. Although no longer used in distribution circuits (the small wires in a house or condo that carries electricity to the plugs and switches), aluminum wiring is still used today in certain applications. For example, 240 volt circuits for stoves and dryers. It sometimes is used on the main service entrance wire from the road to the house.
The conductivity of aluminum is not as good as copper so thicker gauge wire was used. For example, today the most common copper wire size is 14 gauge. The comparable aluminum wire size used was 12 gauge. Concerns with this type of wiring have arisen, for example, when aluminum wire is connected to receptacles and switches which were not designed for aluminum, or, when aluminum and copper wires are attached. In these cases a reaction can occur causing the connections to fail, perhaps become disconnected, and potentially overheat, spark and catch fire. Symptoms of this can sometimes be seen in the discolouration of receptacles, flickering lights, or the smell of hot plastic insulation.
Aluminum wiring in residential installations will operate as safely as any other type of wiring if the proper materials are used and it is installed as per the manufacturer's instructions and the Canadian Electrical Safety Code.
Cheers, Myles
Myles Braid RHI
HomeGuard Building Inspections Ltd
www.homeinspectorsvictoria.ca/
Victoria 250 920-8676
Duncan 250 715-6556
05/08/2011
Heat Pump Investment
Heat Transfer and Air-Source Heat Pumps
Recently I have had clients purchase houses with heat pumps installed and it was a main component in the decision to choose the given property. I have also had clients purchase houses with the intention of investing in this technology. Interesting.
There are many different kinds of heat pumps, but they all operate on the same basic principle of heat transfer. Heat transfer means that rather than burning fuel to create heat, a device moves heat from one place to another. Heat naturally flows downhill, which means that it tends to move from a location with a high temperature to a location with a lower temperature. A heat pump uses a small amount of energy to switch that process into reverse, pulling heat out of a relatively low-temperature area, and pumping it into a higher temperature area. In a heat pump, this heat is transferred from a heat source (e.g. the ground or air) into a heat sink (e.g. your home).
One of the most common types of heat pumps is the air-source heat pump, which takes heat from the air outside your home and pumps it inside through refrigerant-filled coils. Inside this basic heat pump, you'll find two fans, refrigerator coils, a reversing valve and a compressor.
Here's how this heat pump works:
This system is more commonly known as an air-air heat pump, because it takes heat from outdoor air and transfers it to indoor air ducts. With the proper modification, air-source systems can also work with other types of indoor heating systems.
The reversing valve is a very versatile part of a heat pump. It reverses the flow of the refrigerant, so that the system begins to operate in the opposite direction. Instead of pumping heat inside your home, the heat pump releases it, just like an air conditioner. The refrigerant now absorbs heat on the indoor side of the unit and flows to the outside, where the heat is released and the refrigerant cools and flows back indoors to pick up more heat.
Geothermal Heat Pump: How It Works
An electrically powered, geothermal heating and cooling system transfers heat between your house and the earth using fluid circulated through long loops of underground pipe.
Heat Pump Parts
As with ordinary heat pumps, the refrigerant in a geothermal heat pump runs in a loop through a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator, collecting heat at one end and giving it up at the other. The direction of refrigerant flow, which is controlled by the reversing valve, determines whether heat is moving into the house in winter (shown) or being pulled out of it in summer. With the addition of a desuperheater, residual warmth from the system can also supplement a conventional water heater, further reducing energy bills
How It Works
Given all the attention being paid to solar power these days, you might be surprised to learn that one of the most promising solutions to high energy costs isn't up in the sky but buried deep under your lawn. Superefficient geothermal heat pumps provide clean, quiet heating and cooling while cutting utility bills by up to 70 percent. "With this technology, everybody could be sitting on top of their lifetime energy supply," says TOH plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey.
In principle, a geothermal heat pump functions like a conventional heat pump, by using high-pressure refrigerant to capture and move heat between indoors and out. The difference is that conventional systems gather their heat—and get rid of it—through the outside air. Geothermal systems, in contrast, transfer heat through long loops of liquid-filled pipe buried in the ground.
As our cave-dwelling ancestors discovered long ago, if you go far enough underground, the earth's temperature stays at a constant 50 degrees or so, no matter how hot or cold it gets outside. So while a conventional "air-source" heat pump struggles to scavenge heat from freezing winter air or to dump it into the summer swelter, its "ground-source" counterpart has the comparatively easy job of extracting and disbursing heat through the 50-degree liquid circulating in its ground loop. That's why it takes only one kilowatt-hour of electricity for a geothermal heat pump to produce nearly 12,000 Btu of cooling or heating. (To produce the same number of Btus, a standard heat pump on a 95-degree day consumes 2.2 kilowatt-hours.) Geothermal systems are twice as efficient as the top-rated air conditioners and almost 50 percent more efficient than the best gas furnaces, all year round.
Another advantage is that there's no need for a noisy outdoor fan to move air through the compressor coils. Geothermal units simply pump liquid, so they can be parked indoors, safe from the elements. Most come with 10-year warranties, but they can last much longer. In the 29 years since Jim Partin, one of the technology's earliest adopters, installed one in his Stillwater, Oklahoma, house, he's replaced only two contact switches.
Despite these benefits, only 47,000 geothermal units were installed last year in the U.S. That's just a tiny blip compared with the approximately one million conventional heat pumps sold during the same period, even though ground-source heat pumps cost about the same to buy. Here's the rub: You have to bury a lot of pipe—about 1,500 to 1,800 feet for a typical 2,000-square-foot home. (The actual length should be calculated by an expert, based on the optimal heating and cooling loads for the house.) A setup that size could cost as much as $20,000 to install, depending on soil conditions and how much digging and drilling is involved. A house on a big lot, for instance, might be able to use pipes laid horizontally in long, 4-foot-deep trenches. Houses on small lots or rocky ledges could require three or four holes drilled about 300 feet straight down, a much more costly process.
The current federal incentive is limited to the standard $300 tax credit for Energy Star HVAC installations. (Canadians retrofitting an existing home with geothermal qualify for a $3,500 federal grant.)
The following link gives a short concise explanation of heat pump performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bo8exCdsR8&feature=related
03/24/2011
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is very popular today. Clients often ask about the differences between traditional hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood and laminate. The following will offer some useful information between the three:
Q. What is engineered hardwood flooring?
A. Engineered hardwood flooring is a product made up of a core of hardwood, plywood or HDF and a top layer of hardwood veneer that is glued on the top surface of the core and is available in almost any hardwood species. The product thus has the natural characteristics of the selected wood species as opposed to a photographic layer. The “engineered” product has been designed to provide greater stability, particularly where moisture or heat pose problems for solid hardwood floors.
Q.What is the difference between a laminate, solid hardwood and an engineered hardwood floor
A. Laminate- core of product is typically made of High Density Fiber (HDF). The top layer is a photographic layer that should appear identical to the product it replicates, be it wood, vinyl, tile, etc. The product is generally 3/8” thick and is a floating install with tongue and groove glue less locking system which allows you to install and uninstall the floor several times if desired. This product is typically the least expensive. Solid Hardwood- the product is the solid natural wood species throughout the entire piece of flooring, typically with a tongue and groove installation. Good sanding and refinishing capabilities. The product is typically more expensive and has some limitations as to where it can be installed due to moisture issues.
Q. What does greater stability mean?
A. The instability of solid hardwood is usually moisture or heat related. Under adverse conditions, solid hardwood floors can warp, cup, swell or split apart. Engineered hardwood flooring overcomes these problems by constructing a multiple-ply plank which counteracts twisting and remains flat and intact. This makes engineered hardwood flooring a better choice for installation over radiant heat sources, over concrete whether it’s below grade or above, and in rainy climates.
Q. How many layers does engineered flooring have?
A. In addition to the top hardwood veneer, engineered wood flooring typically has three or more core layers. Of course, there is greater stability with more layers. The core layers may be plywood, high density fiberboard, or hardwood. For example, Vanier engineered flooring has five to seven hardwood core layers.
Q. Does engineering destroy the natural beauty of hardwood floors?
A. Not at all. The top hardwood layer is the same genuine hardwood you have in solid hardwood floors. This “show” veneer is available in most species of natural hardwood.
Q. What is the thickness of the hardwood veneer?
A. The hardwood veneer, or top layer of hardwood, can typically be 0.6mm to 4.5mm or more in thickness. A quality hardwood veneer will provide many years of wear. For example, Vanier engineered hardwood flooring has a Select and Better 2mm hardwood veneer and comes with a 25-year finish warranty.
Q. Can I refinish an engineered floor?
A. It depends upon the thickness of your hardwood layer but the fact is that 95 % of hardwood surfaces are never refinished. With the high quality finishes that are offered and the extensive process that refinishing a floor entails, damaged areas are often removed professionally. If sanding is desired, typically, the professional sanding procedure removes 1/32 of an inch. Thus if your floor has a 2mm layer you can sand the floor 1-2 times.
02/27/2011
Avoiding Leaky Condos
For many British Columbians, the thought of buying into a leaky condo sends shivers down their spine. They have heard nightmare stories, like the ones reported below by Malcolm Curtis of the Times Colonist. Buying a condo is an alternative many look toward in cities these days but caution must prevail. Questions about the history of the building must be asked. When was it constructed? Has an engineer's report been filed? If not, why not? If these issues are methodically addressed, the likelihood of major issues surfacing is greatly reduced. Investigate first, purchase second.
When Margaret McLynn bought a condominium in The Manhattan, a 15-storey landmark at 938 Yates St., she imagined retiring there a couple of years from now. But scaffolding mars the view from McLynn's two-bedroom suite on the 11th floor, a clue as to why the 63-year-old physiotherapist is rethinking that idea. The workers clambering around the Victoria condo with hammers and drills are doing "building envelope" repairs, to use the construction industry jargon for leaky condos. "It has clouded my vision of retiring," said McLynn, of the noisy -- and expensive -- work. She is one of the owners in the 126-unit building having to shell out an average of $33,000 for the fix. Begun last month, the renovations are expected to take almost a year and cost more than $4 million. The Manhattan is the latest and possibly most prominent example of leaky condos in Victoria. More than five years after a provincial commission of inquiry dug into the issue, the faulty buildings are continuing to surface. Renovation companies took out a total of $9.1 million in permits in the city last year to repair defective "building envelopes." The sum was $6.5 million in the previous year and $5.688 million in 2001. These costs do not include engineering and consulting fees that can triple the actual outlay by condo owners. And after the leaks are fixed, sometimes at the expense of people having to give up their homes, a messy legal residue is often left behind. Lawsuits from condo owners against developers, builders, engineers, architects and municipalities have been flying. The city of Victoria has started to set aside $400,000 a year to deal with legal settlements.
Bob Macquisten, a lawyer for Staples McDannold Stewart, which does legal work for the city, said Victoria is dealing with about 30 claims, several of which have been settled out of court. He would not go into details. When McLynn bought her ocean-view apartment in early 1996, a defective building that let rainwater in was the farthest thing from her mind. The developer was Bosa Construction, from Vancouver, the builder Victoria's Campbell Moore Group.
When she first toured the steel-and-concrete building "it looked very sound." Just three years later, a report showed water was leaking into the building around windows and "joins" in the stucco exterior. Like other condo buildings of the era, The Manhattan was well insulated but water entering the structure had nowhere to go. Now, workers are now ripping out the stucco and sodden insulation and will be installing a drainage system to ensure any seepage wicks away from the building.
"We knew people had concerns. But when I read the report my heart sank," McLynn said. The repair bill came in at four times the original estimate and she had to take out a second mortgage to handle the extra expense. Others weren't so lucky. Many were forced to sell their suites.
It's a story that has been repeated many times around Victoria with buildings dating from the 1980s to the late 1990s.
Dozens of wood-frame apartment blocks using technology developed for buildings in southern California have failed miserably to stand up to coastal B.C.'s damp climate.
And larger structures, as the case of The Manhattan suggests, have not been immune. Just about the entire Songhees development, with high-priced apartments offering million-dollar harbour views, has been behind scaffolding for repairs. The Manhattan's residents have hired a lawyer to look for ways to recoup their repair costs. McLynn has been able to benefit from some financial aid from the Homeowner Protection Office to cover interest payments on her second mortgage.
The office is a Crown corporation established after a recommendation by the Barrett Commission, headed by former premier David Barrett. It provides interest-free loans to owners of leaky condos without substantial means and offers relief from provincial sales tax on associated costs.
The city does not keep statistics on leaky condominiums, but Victoria is one of the most severely affected parts of the province, along with Vancouver. Across B.C. more than 65,000 homes have been affected, according to HPO estimates, with repairs mounting above $1.5 billion.
In his two-volume report Barrett spread around the blame for the condo crisis. He blamed municipalities for their "inability to effectively monitor building quality." He accused the provincial government (at that time the NDP) for failing to ensure the building code was interpreted properly. And he laid into developers, builders, general contractors, architects and engineers for failure to take responsibility for the mess or to take steps to avert the problems.
The NDP government incorporated many of Barrett's recommendations, such as the establishment of the HPO, which has been continued under the Liberals. Since the office opened in October 1998, it has issued 12,000 interest-free loans to owners of leaky condos to help pay for repairs totalling $356 million. The loans, issued to the neediest according to a "means test," averaged $25,642 for homeowners and $38,000 for owners of co-operative housing units.
Jan Calkins, office spokesperson, said more than half of the expected number of leaky condos have been repaired or are in the process of being fixed. One of the lingering legacies of the leaky-condo crisis was the shattering of consumers' confidence in multi-family housing, something which has depressed condo prices while the rest of the housing market has soared. That has been a serious concern for Victoria as it tries to persuade people to live downtown.
Calkins said a number of legislative measures have helped reassure condo buyers, including a requirement for all home builders to be licensed by the province, as recommended by Barrett. A mandatory home-warranty insurance scheme provides minimum coverage for up to five years for "building envelopes" and up to 10 years for structural damage.
Condo buildings erected since 1999 use rainscreens that seem to have prevented moisture problems. But, added Sluggett cautiously, "That's not to say there aren't any."
02/01/2011
Geothermal--Energy Waiting For Us
Most have only a vague idea of what geothermal entails. Geothermal energy is one of the most reliable, clean and renewable energy sources with almost no greenhouse gas emissions. Once developed, a geothermal plant can deliver a stable source of power. Geothermal energy draws sustainable power from the natural thermal energy contained in the rock and fluid in the Earth’s crust.
Geothermal energy options are not front and center in B.C. for the most part. This source of energy is a major player in some European countries and even in California. It could be here too, but it is expensive. As a result, most examples we see are large complexes such as Shoal Point in James Bay, The Pier in Sidney or Camden Green in Royal Oak. It is not the type of technology someone would implement by drilling a hole in their back yard. In the future, community subdivisions may utilize this resource in much the same way large condo buildings have.
The province of B.C. continues to move forward with clean, renewable energy opportunities, including expanding geothermal, announced Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Minister Blair Lekstrom. Permits have been given out by the province and provide the exclusive right to explore the area for geothermal energy.
Two UBC professors, John A. Meech and Mory Ghomshei, say geothermal can power up to 1,125,000 homes in B.C. within 10 to 15 years.
A proposal being studied at Meager Creek, 70 kilometres northwest of Pemberton, might produce enough electricity for over 90,000 households a year.
Many British Columbians already use lower-temperature geothermal energy. These are much smaller operations used to heat and cool offices, industrial and commercial buildings and even individual houses. Geothermal pumps transfer heat from a level 15 to 30 metres below the surface. In summer, the system transfers heat from the building into the ground. Over 33,000 such units are presently in place across Canada
The following link gives an example of a project planned for Nelson, BC.
01/20/2011
Is Solar Energy Feasible in B.C.?
This post will examine Solar Power as one strategy I’m often asked about for those wanting to aim for energy efficiency in the home they own.
First of all, what is Solar Energy?
Solar Energy comes from the light and radiant heat of the Sun. Solar is the most plentiful form of energy on the planet, although it is highly diffuse. Solar technologies take advantage this renewable energy source for:
- electricity production using concentrating thermal or photovoltaic technologies;
- space and water heating; and
- space cooling.
Overall, British Columbia enjoys better solar energy resources than world solar leaders Germany and Japan. Solar resources are good in most areas of the province and best in the southern interior.
Challenges include:
- Currently, the cost for photovoltaics is high;
- Initial capital costs take years to be recovered;
- Solar is a variable energy resource, providing electricity only when the sun is shining.
What’s Happening in BC?
Out of 14 Other Programs SolarBC Comes Out On Top!
We’ve come a long way in two years! Under the SolarBC Program, there have been 532 systems installed in residential homes across the province, making us the most successful solar pilot in Canada! Of the 14 other pilots, the second most successful pilot project, headed by Bullfrog Power, in Ontario achieved only a fraction of our total, with 150 installs
Currently, PV modules largest use is for remote sites that have no access to grid power. These include, but are not limited to: Radio repeater stations, Remote monitoring stations, remote homes and cottages.
As opposed to other technologies such as Wind or Microhydro, solar PV requires much less maintenance—generally limited to keeping the panels clean and perhaps a seasonal tilt adjustment.
What Does it Cost?
Solar PV modules in Canada currently retail in the $6-$8 per watt. Additional costs include "balance of system" components such as mounting hardware, wire, controllers, batteries, etc.
For many remote sites, solar PV can compete aggressively with the costs of electricity derived from conventional sources. Many sites that require extensive power line construction (expensive) will find solar systems may be more cost effective. If you are spending more than $20k on power lines, you should consider PV.
For people that are on the grid, one does not currently buy solar PV for Return on Investment (ROI). There are many purchases we make that are not purchased based on ROI, but other concerns. Cars, entertainment system and furniture are generally not purchased with ROI in mind.
Toby Welch draws our attention to Solar Roofing Tiles
In the past, homeowners that wanted to find a green power source were pretty much limited to solar panels. But with the relatively recent affordability of solar roofing tiles, homeowners have another option. The shiny tiles are similar in size and appearance to conventional roofing tiles but they generate power while being aesthetically pleasing.
Roofing tiles are constructed of photovoltaic cells, mounted on a sturdy composite roofing tile, which capture sunlight and convert it into energy. All Sunslates are connected together in series as groups. Electrical lines for each group runs to an inverter, which converts the DC power into AC power. The AC lines are then connected to an AC electrical panel. Solar roofing tiles perform the same protective function as any other quality roofing material and are mounted to the roof using methods similar to traditional tile roofing. The angles of your roof (30 degrees is ideal to catch the maximum amount of sunlight) and the direction the roof faces (south is preferred) determine the efficiency of your solar roofing tiles.
Is There Enough Sun here?
Yes, there is enough sun in rainy Metro Vancouver to generate electricity. The nation that generates the most electricity from photovoltaics is Germany and much of that country receives less annual sunlight than Vancouver. There are examples of houses that provide 100% of the electricity needed for some North Vancouver households. Victoria gets more sunshine than North Vancouver.
Can I sell excess power to BC Hydro? Are there any grants or incentives?
Since 2004 BC Hydro has allowed renewable energy systems to connect directly to the grid, allowing you to use the grid as a rechargeable battery — selling surplus power to the grid to be used by others and taking it back when you need a little extra.
VREC has installed the first such systems in Vancouver and North Vancouver and has experience arranging for permits and grid interconnection in municipalities that are unfamiliar with photovoltaics.
The incentives currently for photovoltaics are is PST-exemption for the equipment and a small Live Smart grant. Take a look at BC Hydro's website where you can download all the information and application forms
Summary:
The potential for future use of Solar Energy in BC is definitely there. It is not as well developed primarily because we have “relatively affordable” electricity due mostly to the massive dams build during the W.A.C. Bennett era. If one owns property in a remote area, Solar Energy immediately makes sense. For the rest of us it likely fall into the realm of owning a Prius.
01/16/2011
Green Homes: the future?
Will Green Homes mean more $$$$$$$$$$ ?
What might be a consideration when considering home renovations, is just how “green” one wants to make their home. Today, people like granite countertops, hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances. In the future, it may pay off if you have put your money into energy efficiency. The EnerGuide system is summarized below:
An EnerGuide rating is a standard measure of a home's energy performance. The home's energy efficiency level is rated on a scale of 0 to 100. A rating of "0" represents a home with major air leakage, no insulation and extremely high energy consumption. A rating of 100 represents a house that is airtight, well insulated, sufficiently ventilated and requires no purchased energy.
|
Type of House |
EnerGuide for Houses Rating |
|
Older house not upgraded |
0 to 50 |
|
Upgraded older house |
51 to 65 |
|
Energy-efficient upgraded older or typical new house |
66 to 74 |
|
Energy-efficient new house |
75 to 79 |
|
Highly energy-efficient new house |
80 to 90 |
|
House that uses little or no purchased energy (an "Advanced House") |
91 to 100 |
Based on its energy efficiency, a home will receive an EnerGuide rating and be recognized as a Power Smart home.
Ratings are calculated by Certified Energy Evaluators who analyze building plans, provide upgrade recommendations to improve energy efficiency, and complete a test to confirm the air tightness of the home once it has been built.
The final EnerGuide rating and Power Smart label on a home demonstrates to buyers that their home is more energy efficient than others. It also shows that the builder/developer has met the commitment to their customer to provide improved energy performance and comfort in the home.
New houses are generally more energy efficient. Some more than others. Consumers can be drawn to newer homes, not just because everything looks and feels modern, but because down the road the costs of heating and maintaining the home will be less. This will likely become more of an issue down the road, particularly for those selling older homes with an EnerGuide rating of less than 50. Think of yourself as a Buyer. If you had a choice of a charming 2500 square foot home on a nice tree-lined street that was built in the 1930’s that had an EnerGuide rating of 46, and just around the corner there was a 2500 square foot home, brand new with a rating of 79. How much more would you be willing to pay for the new home? Or, thought of another way, how much less would you need to accept for your 1930’s home if it had not been substantially updated according to the EnerGuide rating system?
Building Inspections will reveal to a potential Buyer a ballpark assessment the home’s state of efficiency. In the coming years more and more homes will be “rated” for all to see and the economic consequences of having an energy deficient home will be real. As of this post (Jan. 16th, 2011) there are ten homes listed in Greater Victoria with an EnerGuide rating proudly posted. This may be a trend in the coming years, which might bring one to consider where to put investment money in their primary investment: Real Estate.
In future posts, I will report on some of the options home owners may want to consider, especially if their home was not build in the last ten or fifteen years. "Stay posted."
12/16/2010
Would You Inspect A Brand New Home?
Bill: Most people consider a Building Inspection if they are wary of something about a perspective purchase or the house has moved beyond the 10-year warranty provided. Sometimes clients request an inspection on a brand new home. I have heard of Building Inspectors pointing out brand new homes with no insulation in the attic ! Can you comment on this and give any examples that come to mind from your experience? What are the advantages to a home owner investing in such a service?
Steve: A couple in Nanaimo opted to conduct their "walk through inspection" of a newly built home with only the building contractor. Shortly after taking occupancy water seepage issues became evident throughout the vaulted kitchen ceiling. The home inspector was called in and found improper installation methods at the roof/valleys above the kitchen area. Subsequently the roof, kitchen ceiling and cabinetry were repaired or replaced at significant cost to the contractor and inconvenience to the new home buyers.
The motto: A certified home inspector would have detected the roof defect and brought it to the attention of the home buyers and contractor prior to sign off and occupancy.
Steve Hughes 250.516.2392 (direct) HOMECHECK
12/09/2010
Home Security Alternatives
Some Ways To Improve Home Security
Posted in Home Improvement Security 2010
If you own your home you don’t have to pay for a high tech alarm. You can safeguard your home by learning a few things that won’t be too costly, yet can improve home security.
Having the lights on, inside and outside, is one part of protecting your home. Most intruders will not like being around a place where there are many lights. They can be easily seen and reported to the police. Keep extra lighting by each door and window too, where thieves will most likely try to enter. You can even invest in timers for the lights that go on and off automatically.
You can also buy a camera that can be hooked up to your computer to allow you to be able to see the inside and outside of your home. If the cameras are too expensive for you, you can always install fake cameras to help as well. You can also put metal bars on your windows for added security and it’s an option to buy steel doors for each door in the house.
Break glass alarms are easy to install on any window. The glass break alarm will sound an alert if the glass is broken. This type of alarm is not costly and is very good for when you want to be able to hear from certain parts of the house, such the basement or even in an area where you may be unable to hear the sound of glass breaking.
If you’re ever planning to go out for a long period of time, it is a good idea to alert some of your neighbours as to where you are going and when you’ll return. Alternately, you can get a friend or relative you can depend on and have them stay at your house for the length of time that you are gone.
Having some home security today is a must for everyone. There are numerous DIY home security systems and individual products that are available on the market that can be installed by the homeowner with relative ease and are available through various outlets. Try a Google search for Home security door and/or home window security.
--contributed by E. Lamb – ezinearticles
12/05/2010
Selling Your Home at Christmas
To Decorate, or Not to Decorate For The Holidays?
That is the question.
We have now officially entered the “Holiday Season” of the year. But, just because we are in the midst of the Holidays and close to the New Year does not mean that Real Estate Transactions screech to a halt. People still buy and sell houses during this time of year for all types of reasons.
Many of my clients, whom are preparing their homes for sale ask me the question, “Can I put my Tree up and decorate even though buyers will be viewing my home?”
My answer is simply this: Of course you should decorate your home inside and out for the Holidays!
A tastefully and moderately decorated home during the Holidays shows to the buyer your Pride in Ownership.
BUT, when your home is listed for sale, the key is to edit the amount and type of decorations that are on display. When we are living in a home, some of us tend to go a little overboard with Holiday decorating. And, that is perfectly acceptable, as we decorate according to our own personal tastes. But, when we are selling, we now have to appeal to the senses of the masses.
When we are selling a home, we aim to be as free of clutter and excess items as possible in order to maximize available floor-space in the buyer’s eyes. Keep this in mind when decorating.
Also, it is imperative that we have de-personalized our decorations as well. We still need to be mindful of the fact that buyers from all walks of life will be in our home. So, we need to be careful of not putting a spotlight on any particular religion or any controversial topics or beliefs.
Example of what NOT to do when decorating the exterior of your home for sale – Is there a house somewhere in there?
Example of a very tasteful and welcoming decorating job completed on the exterior of a home whilst selling.
Key pointers to keep in mind while selling during the Holidays:
1. Try to not obstruct views of the front-exterior of your home with lawn decorations.
2. Ensure that any strings of lights you have on your home’s exterior are in good working order and hung neatly.
3. Have those exterior lights on in the evenings, as it makes your home stand out, and lights up the walk to your front door. This welcomes buyers and makes your address more visible at night.
4. A nice festive wreath hanging on your door-exterior is nice and decorative. Holly berries (real or fake) add a nice pop of red.
5. A Holiday-appropriate “Welcome Mat” outside the front door is a nice touch.
6. Inside, remember that the most important, longest lasting first impression is made on the buyer as soon as they open that front door. Be mindful to not over-fill that front area too many with decorations.
7. If your home is open-concept, ensure you are not blocking the views.
8. If you are putting up a tree, try to choose the LEAST filled space in the house to erect your Tree.
9. Remember that buyers are interested in buying your house, not your “stuff”. So, ensure that you have not completely disguised/masked/covered-up your architectural features with decorations. Many people end up doing this with fireplaces. Avoid this.
10. Also avoid putting up stickers or glass-art on your windows, or hanging tinsel/garland from structural features. Keep decorations to furniture surfaces as much as possible.
11. Remember that flow, or ease of movement, within rooms and throughout the home is very important to buyers. Try to keep decorations contained to avoid blocking pathways.
12. Avoid the use of too many colours with your decorations. Using more than 2 or 3 main colours is simply distracting and is visually cluttered.
13. Also avoid the over-use of conflicting patterns in decorations as this distracts buyers as well.
14. Try to keep gift-wrapping supplies contained to one area in your home, and tuck it away for showings.
15. Beware of using tinsel, as it gets everywhere and can cause buyers to wonder about cleanliness.
16. To avoid being too personalized in your home, avoid the urge to display all Holiday Greeting Cards you receive from loved ones. They look messy and are distracting to a buyer.
17. Much like the decor in your home whilst selling, it is best to eliminate any DATED decorations (such as doilies, cotton-balls, home-made paper garland, etc).
Example of what NOT to do when decorating the interior of your home for sale – Could that be a fireplace over there against that wall? This is actually quite a spacious living room, but a buyer wouldn’t know it with all of this clutter.
Great example of a very tasteful, neutral, and festive interior decorating job that nicely draws a buyer’s eye to the right architectural features and keeps the floor-space nice and open. They also kept colours and patterns to a minimum, which is less distracting, but also shows pride-in-ownership.
Tip: If you are someone who usually tends to verge on over-decorating during the Holidays, a good rule-of-thumb is to drag out your decorations, and literally cut that pile in half.
Pertaining to Decorating, here is your new mantra whilst selling your home:
Thoughtfully edited, neutrally pretty, yet decidedly Festive. And, remember, it is only one Christmas where you have to feel somewhat limited.
If you do start feeling like a deprived minimalist due to all of the Staging recommendations, remember the reasoning behind all of it. These suggestions are made to help you achieve your goal of selling your home in a timely manner so that you can move into your new “Home” and start to create new memories. Next year, you can go as wild as you would like with your decorations in your new Home.
Rhonda Wilson – CCSP™
Owner/Operator of Revealing Assets Home Staging and Decluttering Services
[email protected]
12/03/2010
Time to Remodel?
One of the big decisions homeowners are faced with when they decide it is time to sell goes like this: How much time and money do I spend in remodeling or renovating? There is seldom a clear cut answer for several good reasons.
The prevailing market for one. In a Seller's market it may make more sense not to invest heavily in one's property. This can be a different story in a Balanced or Buyer's market. One of the issues Seller's face today that they have never faced in the past, is the impact that channels like HGTV have had on the public psyche. The Buyer often visualizes the home they purchase as being immaculate and featuring stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops and hardwood floors. That might be an expectation not all can meet.
South of the border, writer Les Christie offers some interesting thoughts on the matter.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Looking to spruce up your home and wondering what will give you the most bang for your buck at resell time?
Install new fiber-cement siding. That cost an average of $13,382 and returned 80% of the investment, according to Remodeling magazine's 2010 Remodeling Cost vs. Value survey, done in partnership with the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
Like every other renovation job though, it returned a lower percentage of its costs in added home value this year than it did in 2009.
In general, anyone planning a home remodeling will pay a lot more for the job than they will get back in return when they sell. Only 60% of remodeling costs in 2010 would be recouped by homeowners, the report said.
Exterior improvements mostly performed better than interior ones, owing to the necessity of maintaining a home's "curb appeal."
"In today's buyers market, given the large inventory, where people have so much selection, it's important to have the exterior catch the eye so they're willing to step inside," according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR.
3 cheap ways to make your old kitchen feel new
The cost vs. value equation has been getting less attractive for years, but 2010 has seen a particular decline in the percentage of home improvement costs recouped.
On the average remodeling job, homeowners recouped 16% less value than they had in 2009, the steepest slide the survey has recorded in its nine-year history. This happened despite the fact that construction costs declined for the first time since 2004.
Adding a new mid-range bath, for example, returned nearly 100% of its approximately $15,000 cost back in 2003. Today, the same job costs more than $40,000 and only returns about half its cost.
Get a high-quality remodel for less
In general, the more spent for a job, the lower the percentage of return. That's apparent in comparing kitchen remodels.
A mid-range kitchen remodel costs nearly $60,000 and returns just 70% of that expense at resale. A high-end renovation adds just 60% of its $113,000 cost.
0:00 /1:40Tips for buying your first home
The lowest return of any job was for a midrange home office renovation, which cost an average of $28,888 and added $13,235, just 45.8%.
Low cost exterior improvements do well. An exterior steel door replacement return 102% of its $1,218 cost and new garage doors recoup 84% of theirs.
Two jobs tied for the best return on any midrange remodeling investment costing more than $10,000. Adding a wood deck or doing a minor kitchen remodeling, which involves replacing cabinet doors and counters, buying new appliances, sinks and faucets and repainting walls and trim et al, both recouped 72.8% of their costs.
Biggest and smallest paybacks
The return on investment of home improvement jobs.
|
Job |
Cost |
Resale value |
% Recouped |
|
Fiber-cement siding |
$13,382 |
$10,707 |
80.0% |
|
Add a wood deck |
$10,973 |
$7,986 |
72.8% |
|
Minor kitchen remodel |
$21,695 |
$15,790 |
72.8% |
|
Vinyl siding replacement |
$11,357 |
$8,223 |
72.4% |
|
Wood window replacement |
$12,027 |
$8,707 |
72.4% |
|
Upscale bath additon |
$78,409 |
$41,562 |
53.0% |
|
Master suite addition |
$232,062 |
$122,370 |
52.7% |
|
Sunroom addition |
$75,224 |
$36,540 |
48.6% |
|
Back-up power generator |
$14,718 |
$7,136 |
48.5% |
|
Home office remodel |
$28,888 |
$13,235 |
45.8% |
Source: Remodeling magazine and National Association of Realtors
12/01/2010
Asbestos a Problem?
To explore the potential dangers of asbestos and vermiculite, click on the following file: